W. B. Reitze, OSHA Letter No. 34 on the 2-Fiber Asbestos Standard (1976)

A one-page memo of July 27, 1976, "OSHA Letter No. 34," from W. B. Reitze at J-M's Denver headquarters to senior officers, division general managers, plant and mine managers and others. Reitze noted that "beginning in July, 1976 the OSHA standard for asbestos became 2 fibers per cubic centimeter," a step set out in the 1972 regulations, and that since J-M's "internal corporate standard for asbestos fiber has been at the 2-fiber level per cubic centimeter for several years," the change "should present few unknown problems." He asked managers of all asbestos-using plants to review their last four industrial hygiene surveys and report any stations over the limit, or ones that "fluctuate between just below to just above the standard," with plans to achieve compliance.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

Johns-Manville's own chronology of what the company knew describes this document as follows:

W.B. Reitze memorandum to Senior Officers and Division General Managers, 7/27/76, stating that in July, 1976 the OSHA standard for asbestos become 2 f/cc. Since J-M's internal standard for asbestos fiber has been at the 2 fiber level for several years, this federal government action should present few unknown problems. Reitze requests that managers of all asbestos-using plants review their past 4 industrial hygiene survey reports. If any of the stations are found to be over the 2 fiber limit or if they appear to fluctuate between just below to just above the standard, the managers are to provide their Division General Manager and Reitze with a listing of these stations and a summary of plans to achieve compliance.